Open Educational Resources (OER)

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that are either in the public domain or released under an open license, such as a Creative Commons license. These licenses allow faculty to legally use, adapt, revise, remix, and share educational content without the copyright restrictions associated with traditional commercial textbooks.

Replacing high-cost textbooks with OER can significantly reduce students' educational expenses while increasing equitable access to course materials. Because OER are available from the first day of class, they help eliminate financial barriers, improve student preparedness, and allow faculty to use current, relevant, and customizable content that aligns with their course outcomes.

Open Educational Resources may include:

• Textbooks and e-books

• Videos and multimedia

• Lecture notes and presentations

• Assignments and learning activities

• Test and quiz question banks

• Simulations, case studies, and other instructional materials

Faculty are not limited to a single OER resource. Multiple open resources can be combined to create a customized learning experience that best supports course objectives, instructional strategies, and student needs while preserving academic freedom.

Northeast Iowa Community College encourages faculty to consider OER whenever appropriate to improve affordability and student success. The College Library and the Department of Instructional Innovation & Design (DIID) provide guidance in locating, evaluating, and adopting high-quality OER. In addition, the DIID team offers instructional design support and AI-assisted tools that can help faculty efficiently develop learning activities, assessments, and other instructional materials aligned with their selected OER content.

For more information on OER and how you can make learning more accessible, visit these resources:

• Quality Course Design Website: OER resources developed by the Department of Instructional Innovation and Design

• IOWA Open Education Action Team: A statewide group that supports affordable higher education for students in the state of Iowa.

• Open Education Network: A consortium of colleges and universities working to advance open education initiatives.